The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-02-18


believe. Somebody drew lot Of money
out Of the bank. fell into the hands Of
sharpers, and they were looking in the
river and lake for his dead body"
"H'mp' he cOughed, and that ended
our conversation, though I did not fail
to notice the look of qualification which
crept over his face. That he had hid
den the treasure was certain. That he
would visit it sooner or later was dead
sure. I watched him closely during
the day, and saw that he was nervous
and preoccupied. expected he would
go out to inspect his treasure at night,
and I took my precautions that he
should not escape me, but he made no
move. He went to work on Friday
noon of one week and 1 on Thursday
of the next. When Sunday week came
it was bright, warm day, and 1 made
up my mind not to lose sight of him
for an hour. There were several acres
of logs in the yard, and after breakfast
I went to the mill, climbed up in the
attic, and had the yard and the hamlet
under my eye. At about ten o'clock
Lane came down into the yard, wan
dered about in an aimless sort of way,
though all the time keeping his eyes
epen, and by and by I saw him inspect
ing a huge log lying near a thorn-apple
tree, which was the only tree or bush
in the yard. I had been hauling logs
with the cattle to the bank and dump
ing them off for the elevator or car to
carry them up the incline into the mill,
and had noticed the big log. 1t had
been there for years, and was worth
less. Now that / saw Lane in the vicin-
ity I made up my mind that he had
hidden his money close by, and l
slipped out and went for a ramble in
| the woods.
That night at midnight, without any
thing having happened to create sus-
picion on Lanes part, dressed myself
and crept out of the tavern to make a
hunt for the money. On my way out I
| paused at his door, and he was breath
! ing like a man fast asleep. had my
revolver and pair of handouts ready
| to take with me, but missed them after
/ got outside. Every thing about was
so quiet that set off, thinking to be
back with the money in a few min
utes. The big log lay within twenty
feet of the bank There was a hollow
in one end, but no money. The other
end was solid. I climbed over it and
passed around it, and had Just discov-
cred a hollow which had been the base
of big limb, when I got blow on the
neck which rolled me over and over for
ten feet. Before I could get up Lane
was upon me. He was d good deal the
| larger and stouter man, but he could
not hold me still. / could roll under
him, and, while his object seemed to be
to clutch my throat, 1 gave him two
good blows in the face and got to my
| feet. Not word was spoken by either
of US. We stood for a moment gasping
| for breath, and then he rushed at me
like an enraged bull, and we both
| clinched. He handled me almost as
if I had been boy, and it wasn't over
a minute before we were on the bank
| above water twelve feet deep. There
was a thin skim of ice over it, and the
man who went in there could not live
long.
| In boxing match I could have got
the better of Lane. In such clinch
| his brute strength was a terrible adj
vantage. His object was, of course, to
| pitch me into the river, but I hung to
him so well he was baff1ed. We were
still struggling on the brink when a
great slice of the bank gave way and
we went into the ice-cold water. both
having a firm hold, but on top. Lane
must have had his mouth open, for he
began to strangle at once, and if l ever
worked hard for three minutes it was
to save him. He was unconscious
when got him to the bank and pulled
him up, while was as good rs frozen.
| By liberal use of my voice 1 aroused
three or four men, and we got Lane to
| the hotel, and worked over him for
half an hour before he opened his eyes.
Then tucked him up, gave him a big
drink of hot whisky, and Went out and
| got the money. He had spent about
| forty dollars of it. Not word did he
| reply as I told him who 1 was, who he
was, and showed him the money. Not
a word did he utter all the way back to
Milwaukee, and it was only after Mrs
Pierce failed to prosecute him and he
was turned loose that he sullenly NUT
/ tered:
'I.was just fool enough to argue that
70 detective living could overhaul me. :"
/ N Y. San.